Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Destination Master Plan?
Southeast Volusia Destination Master Plan will assess the current state of our regional tourism industry and work in partnership with the 5 communities in the Southeast Volusia region to proactively map the evolution, marketing, and management of the destination 10-years into the future.
Why is the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors' Bureau undertaking this effort?
New Smyrna Beach Area Visitor Bureau is proactively leading this effort to identify ways to protect, improve and enhance the region’s long-term quality of life and economic prosperity. As tourism has grown worldwide, destinations that failed to plan for sustainable growth have encountered adverse effects on their community and natural resources. Florida continues to see record visitation from travelers and the NSBAVB acknowledges the positive impacts tourism has. Increasing the overall quality of life for residents, as well as the pressure tourism adds to the economic challenges Southeast Volusia and Florida already face, including infrastructure, affordable housing, and workforce. With tourism serving as the largest local economic driver outside of agriculture, there is significant interest in how a stronger and smarter tourism industry might help mitigate these impacts. New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau’s Destination Master Plan will provide the community and tourism industry with a 10-year action plan for responsibly and sustainably protecting our destination and promoting the economic health of our region.
Who is involved in developing this plan?
The Destination Master Plan is a partnership between the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau and the communities within the region of Southeast Volusia. Over the coming months, the project team will directly engage hundreds of stakeholders across the five communities that make up Southeast Volusia. Through a variety of 1:1 interviews, town hall meetings, focus groups, and electronic surveys. The Destination Master Plan will be developed with input from representatives from key industries and community sectors, including agriculture, outfitters, land managers, small business, arts & culture, technology, education, government, non-profits, and tourism, in addition to seeking input from all residents.
To assist us in this project, we have engaged world-renowned destination management experts, MMGY NextFactor. MMGY NextFactor is an industry-leading consulting firm that specializes in helping destinations deliver sustainable growth while building stronger communities.
What are the process and timeline?
A comprehensive Destination Master Plan process will take between 12-14 months. A detailed project work plan and calendar can be viewed on the Project Timeline page.
Who benefits from this?
As a community-driven process, the Destination Master Plan will benefit the residents of the five-community region known as Southeast Volusia. By proactively mapping the future of our destination over the next 10 years, we can protect our quality of life and plan for sustainable economic growth.
Who is paying for this?
The Destination Management Plan is funded by the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority/ dba / New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau. We are recognized as the official destination marketing and management organization (DMO) for Southeast Volusia County and are funded by the Convention Development Tax levied on hotel accommodations tax (bed tax) in the region. Our region includes Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Oak Hill, and Osteen.
Who will have access to the final results?
We are committed to a transparent and inclusive process and look forward to sharing updates and the final results with the public. We will do this by posting information on the project page of our website, as well as through community and media outreach.
